Method and means for securing golf club heads to shafts



Dec. 19, 1933. J. A. HILLERICH 1,940,168

METHOD AND MEANS FOR SECURING GOLF CLUB HEADS TO SHAFTS Filed Oct. 19, 1929 Patented Dec. 19, 1933 METHOD AND MEANS FOR SECURING GOLF CLUB HEADS TO SHAFTS John A. Hillerich, Louisville, Ky.

Application ctober'19, 1929. Serial No. 400,857

7 Claims. (cl. era-so) The invention relates to golf club and has for a principal object to provide an improved method and means for securing iron golf club heads to hollow steel shafts.

I In the assembly of golf clubs of the character described it has usually been thepractice to secure the club heads to the steel shafts by boring a hole transversely through both the shaft and head after the shaft has been inserted in the cored end of the shank, and securing the parts together by theinsertion of a pin through the aligned apertures. This method is subject to objections and disadvantages largelyfor the reason that the parts are weakened'by the transverse boring operation, thereby detracting from the strength and durability of the clutch. This methodis further objectionable for the reason that a solid, rigid and continuous union is not obtained,with the result that vibrations set up in the club head during use are frequently transmitted to the shaft andthence to the hands of the player with consequent sting and discomfort to the player.

An important object of the invention is to provide a more secure and permanent method of attaching the golf club head to the shaft and to effect the same in a more convenient and economical manner with the use of a minimum of partsand appliances.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fastening means of the character described which will result in a club of improved and more satisfactory balance over clubs now being manufactured and which are not perfectly balanced by reason of the present methods of securing the head to the shaft. a

A still further object is to provide fastening means which will result in the elimination of vibration and attendant physical discomfort which frequently obtains from present methods of securing iron clubs to steel monly employed.

With such objects in view, as well as other advantages which maybe incident to the use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportions and ar rangement without departing from the nature and scope of the invention In order to make the invention more clearly understood there are shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical'elfect, without limiting the improveshafts as comments, in their useful applications, to the particular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration. r

In said drawing, h

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partially in elevation, showing an iron golf club head and lower portion of the steel shaft in assembled position prior to completing the fastening and permanent union of the parts. J

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the relation of the parts after the fastening or securing op-' eration has been completed and the fastening member driven home.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on line 33 of Fig. 1. r r a Fig. 4 is a similar view on line i4 of Fig. 2, the configuration of the parts-being slightly exaggerated for clearness.

Fig.5 is an enlarged perspective view of the fastening vmember.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates the iron a golf club head having an upwardly projecting preferably integral shank or hosel 2 provided with a central tapered'socket or bore 3. The 80 golf club shaft is shown at 4 and consists of a hollow rolledsteel tubing of known construction open at its upper and lower ends and preferably tapered or reduced from top to-bottom as is usual in steel shafts of the character to which 5 the present invention appertains. The fastening memberis shown at 5 and consists prefer.-

ably of a solid cylindrical member of hardened or tempered steel and which is slightly tapered from top to bottomto conform to the tapered inner cylindrical wall of the hollow steel shaft within which the fastening member is designed to be inserted and thereafter secured. The I hardened steel cylindrical member 5 is provided along its surface with projections which may be in the formof one or more series of longitudinally or vertically aligned outwardly projecting teeth 6 integral with the cylinder and which teeth are preferably formed by notching or serrating the cylinder prior to the hardening or tempering operation.

In assembling the parts the lower end of the hollow shaft 4 is inserted into the bore or socket 3 of ,the shank or hosel 2 of the iron head. The socket 3 is tapered to conform to the taper of the hollow shaft and 'a wedging engagement is thereby obtained. The tapered steel fastening member or cylinder-5 is then inserted into the upper endof the hollow steel shaft, with its reduced. end lowermostand upon being released 13o shaft.

will drop into the position shown'in Fig. 1. This initial position of the cylinder is determined by its cross-sectional dimensions when manufactured as will be obvious. A suitable rod or other driving implement, indicated at '7, is next inserted downwardly through the open upper end of the shaft by means of which rod the cylindrical member is forcibly driven downwardlyinto final locking position as shown in Fig. 2;- This-driving force and downward movement of the cylinder serves to firmly engage the aligned series of hardened teeth or lugs 6 with the softer metal of the hollow steel shaft on theinner surface thereof. The parts are thereby locked against relative movement and subsequent displacement by reason of the interengagement'bf the' teeth 6 formed by the notches, withthe metal of the shaft. This biting engagement "isb'e'stsenun Fig. 4. It is to be further understood'that when the cylinder 5 is driven downwardly the lower end' of the hollow shaft is therebyexpandedbutwardly into firm locking engagement with the walls of the socket 3 of the club head shank, thereby obtaining a secure and permanent union of the parts which union extends for a considerable area. After the described locking engagement is effected and obtained,"the rod 7*is of course removed and the open upper end of the hollow shaft is'closed and finished or provided with a ferrule or capin the usual and'accepted manner.

The 'member 5 has been illustratedas provided with four longitudinally aligned series'of teeth or lugs 6 suitably spaced at an'a'ng le of 90 apart about 'is circumference,- but it willbe understood that any desired number of such series may be employed 'or the described teeth maybe arranged in staggered "relation 'if "desired. The engagement of the teeth with the softer relatively'thin Walls of the shaft serves to force or extrude the latter outwardly"perceptibly at thep'oints' where this er'i'gagementoc'curs. This action "is'best shown in Fig." 4 and results in correspondingly extruding or bulgin outwardly at'these points therelativelysofter metal of the iron shaft or hosel 2. This-results me 'tight locking engagement of the'shaft'withtheshank so that relative rotation and ver ti'cal"iiisplacement of the parts is effectually prevented. *The lateral bulging or extrusion'of the parts by reason of the driving engagement of 'the'teni'pered steel teeth of the cylinder, 'and'which has been slightly'exaggerate'd for clearness in Fig. 4 10f the drawing, is of course limited to'the vertical area of engagement of the cylinder with the shaft thereby aiding in preventing longitudinal displacement of 'the parts. r

It will be apparent from the foregoing thata simple and economical method has been provided effecting a firm and-permanent union'bf the iron'club head with the'hollow steel shaft, only a single locking. member isrequired, and the parts are not weakened by'drill holes incident to known and present forms heretofore practiced for securing the iron club' head to the It will be further apparent'that'theinvention may be practic'ed'to economicaladv'antage and is'not attended by'loss and displacement of fastening devicesysuch"as'screwsjirivet pins and the like. The fastening "obtained by the presentinvention results in a unioniwhich 'is semi-solid and extended over a considerable area, thereby providing a complete golf club *of' unitary character and which is not subject-to trans mitted vibrations from the headto-the'sh'aft and resulting in a better balance of the head part of the club. The engagement of the notches {side when: the steel shaft after the cylinder 5 has been driven home effectually prevents and'insures against any tendency of the parts to twist or turn relative to one another "when the club "is in use.

The "provision of the pin or fastening member 5 further serves to materially strengthen the h'oll'o'wshaft of theas'smbled golf-clubf'and serves to stiffen the same against sho'cks'and stresses. This greatly minimizes the possibility of breaking the shaft during use, particularly'at-itspoint of union with the clubhead where-a considerableporti'on of the playing 'strain'is received by the cl llb.

What-is claimed is: I

' 1.' "Means for attaching *the' shanksof ir'on golf club heads to hollow tapered steel -shafts*comprising a 's'ubs'tantiall'y cylindrical solid metal member-tapered to conform to the internal taper of said shaft and'insertabletherin, -said-member being'adapted to be driven into wedging 'en'gagement with the inner wall ofsaidshaft and havingprojectionstheiedn forbiting'into and expanding outwardly theinetal of said shaft-into firm wedgi'ng and locking engagement with the metal of the said shank,"'whereby vertical --and rotary relative movementof'saidhead andshaft are prevented.

I 2. In golf club, the combination "of ahead having a tubular shank, a tapered tubular'sh'aft entering said 'shank, and a tapered plug forced into-and withinsaid'shaft' and located also within said shank "at substantially the "out'enend of the shank, said tapered f plug having 'means extending outwardly from its tapered surface forxtruding outwardly the metal of said shaftinto frictional engagementwith said shank to'sec'ure the shaft to the shank and also 'to'"strengthen the shaft at" apoint "subjected to great strain.

3."In-a= golf club the combination of a hollow metal shaft and a metal head, the shaft being tapered 'eitteriorly and interiorly to a point'within the head, the head having a'socket'tapered to 'c'orrespond'with "the taper of 'the'lower end of the shaft, a'drive plug tapered 'in'the same direction as the shaft and'correspo'nding intap'er with'the interior of the lower end of the shaft, and outward projections on said "drive-plug adapted to engage and extrude outwardly the metal of theshaft'into firm locking engagement with said'head, whereby-the lower end of the shaftis securedto the head by said plug after the "latter has be'en inserted'and driven into place-through the upper end of said hollow shaft. 1 4. Ina golf club'the combination of: a head having'asha'nk provided with a socket; a "hollow shaft --insertable= in; said socket; a 'taperedmember insertable in saidshaft toa point within'the confines; of said socket;- and means on said-member andin addition ;tothe taper thereof for engaging --the inner surface of-- Saidshaft" and extruding outwardly a portion of said :shaft into locking engagement with said socket for preventing the displacement of said shank relative to said shaft.

5. In a golf club, the combination of a head having a metal shank provided with a socket, a substantially cylindrical member insertable in said shaft to a point within the confines of said socket and adapted to be driven into wedging engagement with the inner wall of said shaft, said member having an outward projection thereon for biting into and expanding outwardly the metal of said shaft into firm wedging and looking engagement vwith the metal of said shank, whereby relative vertical and rotary movement of the head and shaft are prevented.

6. A golf club,rcomprising in combination: a head having a socket open at the upper end only, a hollow shaft and a plug disposed within the hollow shaft and insertable with said shaft through the open end of said socket, said plug being provided with laterally extending means contoured to expand said shaft into interlocking engagement with the wall of said socket and with said plug when the plug is driven downwardly into said socket.

7. A golf club, comprising a head having a shank provided with a bore, a hollow shaft, and a plug disposed within the hollow shaft and insertable with said shaft into the upper end of said bore, and laterally extending means on said plug for extruding said shaft into interlocking engagement with the wall of said bore at a point above the lower end of said shaft when the plug is driven downwardly into said bore.

JOHN A. HILLERICH. 

